Land Rover Range Rover vs Cadillac LYRIQ

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was a striking vehicle with a design that captured attention on the streets. Its exterior styling was reminiscent of a long sedan, despite being an SUV, with a long hood and low ground clearance. The design drew inspiration from the classic Seville, featuring a long wheelbase, short tail, and wide track. The front of the LYRIQ was adorned with vertical light bars and nine LED headlights that performed a light show upon unlocking. The grille varied between trims, with the Sport trim showcasing a dark triangular motif. The vehicle's imposing presence was enhanced by 22-inch wheels, while the wraparound taillights and steeply raked glass window added to its unique style. Inside, the LYRIQ boasted luxurious details, including leather-wrapped seats, chrome-outlined controls, and a sweeping 33-inch OLED display. However, the floating center console was a design misstep, offering little functionality.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover maintained its classic design, subtly conveying its status as a high-end SUV. Despite being the fifth generation, it didn't deviate much from its predecessor, with updated headlights and taillights integrated into the rear bodywork. The Range Rover's design was understated, avoiding the flashiness of some luxury competitors. Its ample size and minimal exterior detailing made it recognizable, with features like the vertical trim piece and angled rear roof pillar. Inside, the Range Rover emphasized simplicity, with a dashboard that was mostly bare except for a touchscreen and a few controls. The interior was spacious, especially in the long-wheelbase version, offering unmatched second-row legroom. However, the use of plastic materials in some areas was a drawback for a luxury vehicle.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ was built for comfort rather than sportiness, excelling on the interstate with its calm and poised ride. It featured two Chinese-sourced motors producing 500 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque for AWD, while the standard setup was a single rear motor with 340 hp. The 102-kilowatt-hour battery pack offered a claimed range of 314 miles with RWD and 307 miles with AWD, though real-world testing showed closer to 260 miles. Charging was efficient, with the battery topping to 80 percent in about 30 to 35 minutes. However, the LYRIQ's handling was hindered by its weight, leading to understeer and uninspiring steering feel. The lack of handling-enhancing features like torque vectoring and magnetic dampers was noticeable, and while braking was strong, the vehicle's weight posed challenges for hard use.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered a range of powertrain options, including a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six with 395 hp and a plug-in hybrid producing 543 hp. The BMW-sourced twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 delivered 523 hp in SE and Autobiography models, and 606 hp in the SV, achieving 0-60 mph in 4.3 seconds. The Range Rover prioritized comfort and refinement over agility, with excellent ride quality and body control. Its well-tuned suspension and steering made it easy to drive delicately, even with its size. Off-road capabilities were ensured by features like a two-speed transfer case and height-adjustable air suspension, providing impressive ground clearance and water-wading abilities.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ faced challenges with build quality and functionality. Misaligned rear fenders, a loose charging port, and a problematic pull-out tray were notable issues. The glovebox was difficult to access while driving, and the floating console offered limited space. The rotary selector for the touchscreen was less intuitive than direct touch, and drive mode selection was cumbersome. Despite these drawbacks, the LYRIQ provided generous headroom and legroom, though cargo space was limited to 28 cubic feet behind the seats and 60.8 cubic feet when folded.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered versatile seating configurations, with three-row models accommodating seven passengers and two-row models seating five. Headroom was ample across all rows, and the long-wheelbase version provided unmatched second-row legroom. Cargo space was limited with the third row in place, but folding the seats expanded it to 40.7 cubic feet and 83.5 cubic feet, respectively. The split tailgate and air suspension facilitated loading and unloading. The Range Rover's towing capacity of 8,200 pounds was competitive, matching other luxury SUVs in its class.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ featured a 33-inch OLED screen with three sections, offering touch-enabled controls for lighting and gauge cluster layouts. The infotainment system ran native Google Maps and Google Assistant, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard. The Super Cruise system provided excellent hands-free driving capabilities, and the 19-speaker AKG stereo delivered impressive sound quality.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover came standard with a 13.7-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.1-inch touchscreen. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto were included, while a 35-speaker Meridian audio system was available on higher trims. The Pivi Pro infotainment system had improved functionality, but the lack of physical controls made it less user-friendly. The natural-language voice recognition system helped mitigate some of these challenges, allowing for easy control of various functions.

The 2024 Cadillac LYRIQ had not been crash-tested by NHTSA or IIHS at the time of writing. Standard safety features included forward automatic emergency braking, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitoring, and Cadillac's Safety Alert Seat. Optional features included adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera system.

The 2025 Land Rover Range Rover offered standard driver-assistance features such as automatic emergency braking, forward collision warning, adaptive cruise control with steering assist, and a 360-degree camera system. While it lacked advanced systems like Super Cruise, the available features worked as expected. Crash-test ratings from NHTSA and IIHS were not available at the time of publication.